The Lonely God
by Chattybookworm
Summary: When Rose Tyler falls into another dimension, she finds herself in Asgard, where she meets the charming and charismatic Loki. But it soon becomes clear that this prince is more than what meets the eye-will he be more than Rose bargained for?
1. Prologue

"Rose, hold on!" She heard his voice as through a long tunnel as wind rushed deafeningly past her ears.

She trembled in panic as she felt her feet get pulled roughly off the ground, her whole body in mid-air perpendicular to the lever to which she was so desperately clinging. _I mustn't let go, I mustn't_—because she knew what would happen if she did. The portal between the universes could only open once, the Doctor had told her. If she let go, they would be parted forever.

Terror gripped her as she realized that her fingers were slipping. The pull from the portal was too strong. Her eyes flickered to the Doctor, who was holding fast to a stone pillar, his face contorted in horror. "Don't you dare let go, Rose!" he begged her, but there was nothing he could do, she realized with a pang. Not without having to let go himself.

Another finger slipped and tears sprung to her eyes. _No, not like this! Please!_

"Rose…!"

She knew it a split second before she felt it. In that instant, in that one impossible instant, she looked at the Doctor and their eyes locked. Tears closed her throat as she tried to call to him. "I'm sorry—"

As if in slow motion, her final finger slipped and she was violently pulled backward into the void, into the darkness. The last thing she saw before losing consciousness were his lips forming her name.


	2. Chapter 1

Cold.

The first thing she felt as she opened her eyes was the biting cold. Her breath came out in sharp, visible huffs as she struggled to focus. _Why is it so cold? Where am I?_

The blurriness of her vision quickly dissolved as a fresh wave of panic set in. It was so dark, but what she could make out were towering ice sculptures, erected so close together that they formed walls that weaved together like a giant rat maze. Rose gaped at the labyrinth and tried to comprehend its existence. Was this an alien planet? The Doctor would know. On instinct, she whirled around to ask where they had landed this time, but found only nothingness beside her.

Her heart thudded painfully in her chest. _Doctor…my Doctor…_

She began shivering desperately—even winters in London never got this cold. Frost had actually begun to accumulate on her hair and clothes. _What do I do now? Come on, Rose—think!_

A low rumbling in the distance caught her attention. Where was it coming from? Rose turned completely around and still saw no sign of movement, just snowflakes falling and occasionally freezing in mid-air. Her equilibrium was affected, she realized presently as she became quite suddenly dizzy. She yawned to pop her clogged ears and felt the difference immediately.

The main one being the low rumbling in the distance steadily becoming more and more thunderous, the ground rocking beneath her feet.

Then, a noise like an explosion erupted from somewhere behind her and she turned her head just in time to see a slab of ice twice the size of her body shoot directly over her head. Had she been born but two inches taller, she would have been decapitated.

Louder, louder…it was as if someone had cranked up the volume in her head. It was only a second later that she saw where it was coming from.

From behind the wall of ice came towering creatures the size of buildings. Their skin was blue and scaly, their eyes glowing a terrifying crimson.

Rose had traveled enough with the Doctor to trust her gut instinct—aliens.

They were armed with what appeared to be long swords made of ice that protruded from their bodies where their arms should be. Rose stumbled backwards, wondering if she could possibly hide in time. But a moment later, it became clear that not only did they not take notice of her, but their attention was directed elsewhere.

A small band of people emerged from the darkness, looking miniscule in comparison, but armed with various forms of weaponry. They fought against the giant aliens with all the power and strength of an army, though they were but a few.

Though muffled, Rose could hear shouts from the warriors amidst the battle. "Thor, we must go!" There was another ground-shaking explosion as a giant was thrown off its feet and catapulted into an ice wall, which shook and cracked at the impact. Rose lost her balance completely and fell, landing awkwardly in a corner between two slabs of ice.

Everything sounded distant and echo-y again, but she was sure there was more shouting. It was too cold—she could feel her eyelids icing over and her vision blurring once more, but not before she caught sight of a figure several feet away, staring down at her.

She nearly threw a protective arm over her face in case it was a giant, but she was able to just make out the figure of one of the warriors. He was tall and slender—paler than the moonlight but with midnight black hair that stood in stark contrast against the ice and snow.

He opened his mouth to speak, but another voice from somewhere close by thundered, "Brother, hurry!"

Rose couldn't even register surprise or outrage at the pair of arms that suddenly scooped her up as if she weighed nothing—she could only feel the sting of the wind as she was swept away. Other voices were close…_where is he taking me_…?

There was a bright, multicolored flash of light, and Rose gave in to sleep.


	3. Chapter 2

Sunlight prickled behind her eyelids and Rose groaned, pulling the sheets up over her head. "Come on, mum," she mumbled into the pillow. "I don't have work today! Just let me sleep!"

"I'm sorry, m'lady—but you've already slept for hours. I was bid to come and wake you."

Rose's eyes shot open immediately and she sat up in bed to realize that she was not in fact back home in London, this had not in fact been all a bad dream, and this was not in fact Jackie Tyler. "Who are you?" she managed, holding the covers snugly against her body as a fabric shield.

The elderly woman standing near the side of the bed smiled kindly. "My name is Claudelle, m'lady. I am the primary nursemaid." With that, she handed Rose a tall, ornately decorated goblet filled to the brim with a purple-ish liquid. Rose eyed it suspiciously.

"What is that?" she demanded, not sure whether to believe that this old woman was hostile or not. She seemed normal enough, but Rose had been wrong before.

"Just some tonic to settle your nerves," Claudelle assured her, thrusting the goblet into her hands. "You've had quite a trying day, or so I hear."

Having judged the pros and cons of such an action, Rose decided to take a sip of the drink she was offered. _Hmm, well it certainly doesn't taste poisoned…rather like peppermint, actually. _She drained the goblet in seconds before handing it back over to Claudelle. "So, where am I?" she asked, having a look around the room she found herself in. It was a spacious room, with intrinsic furniture and carvings that were all plated in gold. A floor length tapestry graced the wall, and Rose was stunned by the balcony that occupied the other side of the room.

Claudelle smiled at her and walked towards the door. "You are a guest in the House of Odin, m'lady," she said before leaving, closing the twenty foot door solidly behind her.

Rose blinked. The House of Odin? She had no idea who that was, or where this place was, or why she was even here. Of course many scenarios came to mind—_they're going to hold me hostage. They're going to tie me up and torture me. They're going to cook me up for dinner. They're going to—_

Her morbid train of thought derailed as she snuck another look towards the balcony. It wouldn't hurt to take a peek…she rolled herself out of bed, noting with confused interest that she was dressed in a long and flowing turquoise nightgown, and strolled to the window, pushing open the glass doors. She stared in amazement.

The sky looked like a watercolor painting that went on endlessly in every direction, yet there was not a single cloud to be seen. Rose brought a hand to her mouth as she caught a glimpse of golden buildings, structured unlike anything she had ever seen—all slopes and curves—and was that globed building actually _floating_?!

All the planets that Rose had visited…all the galaxies and universes and unbelievable things that she had seen…this strange and beautiful landscape trumped them all.

"Not bad," she nodded to herself, taking a deep breath of the cleanest air her lungs had ever had the pleasure of enjoying, thank you London smog. _Well, I suppose it looks like I'm stuck here for a while. Might as well go exploring._ She stepped back inside the bedroom and looked around for her clothes. They must have taken them somewhere…finally she found her jeans and tee-shirt folded on a chair in the corner. She dressed quickly and approached the bedroom door with trepidation, suddenly anxious about what she might find outside.

"Get it together, Rose," she scolded herself. "You've braved far more dangerous situations than just stepping outside."

Grabbing hold of the ominous door handle, she pulled it open with a grunt and stepped out into the hall.


	4. Chapter 3

Walking through the open hallway, she almost wanted to compare this place to a castle, but had not nearly enough experience with castles to know for sure. All Rose knew was that the ceilings were so high she couldn't even see where they ended and the sky began, and that the "hallways" were simply wide open indoor area with stone pillars placed strategically every few feet. _How far does this go on?_

Rose was just about to desperately try to find her way outside this enormous building when she laid eyes on a grand staircase. Curiosity piqued, she looked over both shoulders and proceeded to ascend the steps, finding once she reached the landing that the monstrous set of double doors at the top of the staircase was cracked open slightly. She heard voices, so very carefully, she crept to the doorway and pushed it open just enough to peer inside.

"…what I do not understand is what she was doing in Jotunheim in the first place, Father," a tall, well-built man was saying, his rumbling voice carrying across the room. The older man who he was talking to began to pace, and Rose could see from this angle that he wore an eye patch over his right eye.

"The question is not _what_ she was doing there, my son," the older man replied, "it is _how_ she got there. I know for a fact that Heimdall was monitoring the Bifrost exclusively during the entire raid."

The young man crossed his arms. "Perhaps it would be best if we—" he cut off suddenly, and his gaze turned to land on Rose. This motion caught the attention of the old man, who also noticed her in the doorway.

"Enter," he boomed at her, and she swallowed nervously as she stepped timidly into the room.

"I—I'm so sorry, I wasn't…I mean I didn't mean to pry," she apologized hastily. She had a feeling that this man was in charge, and was not to be trifled with. "I was just…having a look around."

The man with the eye patch approached her and looked down speculatively at her face. "Have no fear, young maiden. We do not wish you harm. As long as you are here, you are our guest."

He was obviously waiting for her to respond. "Oh…! Um, thank you," she said, "I'm sorry, but where is here, exactly?"

"The House of Odin," said the young man, his shoulder length blond hair ruffling as he walked towards her. "This is my father—Odin—King of Asgard."

Odin nodded respectfully to her, and then gestured to his son. "This is my firstborn son, Thor. He is next in line for the throne."

_Oh, so he's a prince_, Rose noted with slight interest as Thor swept into a low bow before capturing her hand and kissing it. Well. Rose decided to rethink her opinion that chivalry was dead. It only took landing on an alien planet to find it. "It is a pleasure to meet you, m'lady," he offered politely. "May I inquire your name?"

_So many formalities_—Rose cleared her throat. "My name's Rose. Rose Tyler. I'm from London. In England," she added when she saw the confusion on their faces. It was clear that they had no idea what she was talking about. "I'm guessing I'm really far from home, aren't I?"

"England…" Thor tested the word. "That is a Midgardian city?"

Rose blinked. "Um, it's a country, actually. On—on Earth."

Thor smiled. "Yes, of course." Then he turned puzzled again. "Lady Rose, if I may ask-how did you manage to enter Jotunheim unaccompanied?"

It was like they were speaking another language. "Is that the ice place where I landed? Because I really don't know, I just sort of…fell through a portal." The memory stabbed her like a delayed knife wound. _Oh no….Doctor…! How can I ever get home now?_

"A portal…" Odin muttered thoughtfully. "One that is not being guarded…" He glanced pointedly at Thor. "Where is your brother?"

Thor gave his father a long suffering sigh. "I am hardly ever privy to my brother's whereabouts, Father. You know as well as I that he comes and goes when and where he pleases. If Loki wishes to be found, he will make it possible to do so."

"Harumph." Odin seemed to grumble in understanding. He turned his attention back to Rose. "We wish to make you as comfortable as possible during your stay here, Lady Rose. My son Thor shall escort you anywhere you wish to go."

_Really, an escort._ In another circumstance, Rose suspected that she might feel honored and a bit swept off her feet at the idea of being shown around the city by a handsome and stately prince. But as it were, all she wanted was to curl up in a secluded corner and cry. She bit her lip and composed her face so as not to offend the king. "Thank you…um, your Majesty. I wonder if I might be able to spend a little time alone for now? I'm just not used to everything here yet," she hastened to explain, and she hoped that Odin would not take offense.

He narrowed his eye, as if he were trying to figure out if she was simply trying to avoid spending time with his son. Then-"Very well. You may go."

Rose breathed in relief, then wondered briefly if she was expected to curtsey in her jeans and tee-shirt or not, so she just gave a polite half-bow and made her way back out the door and down the grand staircase. Already, she could feel a melt-down coming on; the stress and heartache of this ordeal was catching up with her more rapidly than she could handle. She picked up her pace to a speed walk as she tried to scan for a good place to collapse while squinting through fresh stinging tears.

There—in the corner between two pillars—a private nook tucked safely away from peering eyes. Rose had barely enough time to fall onto the bench and tuck her knees to her chest before the tears began to fall. _The portal can only be opened once_, the Doctor's voice echoed painfully in her head. He would never have lied to her about something like this…she trusted the Doctor with her life—she _has_ trusted him with her life, more times than she could count. If he believed that they would be separated permanently, then it was over. All the traveling, the TARDIS, his compassion, his beautiful carefree laugh…

It was all over. Forever.


	5. Chapter 4

It may have been minutes, but it felt like hours as Rose sat on the bench and cried herself into exhaustion. As she hovered somewhere between asleep and awake, she thought she could hear voices in the hall nearby.

"…where have you been, Brother? Father was looking for you."

There was a sigh. "Where do you think I was, Thor? I needed time alone to practice."

"I do not suppose that you know anything about how the Lady Rose happened to wind up in Jotunheim? It was you, after all, who found her there."

"I know nothing of her situation, Brother. Indeed, you surely know more than I—did you not speak with her earlier?"

"That I did, but she could tell us nothing except that she is from Midgard and she came here through another portal. One not being watched by Heimdall."

There was a moment of silence before the first voice spoke again. "What are you thinking, Brother? You know I hate it when you are quiet and do not confide in me what you know."

"I do not know anything more than you, Thor—I only wonder what Father plans to do with her."

"I believe the idea of another portal interests him greatly."

"Perhaps you ought to keep an eye on him so that he does not do anything reckless," was the playful sounding reply. There came a noise like a friendly shove.

"Are you not coming with me? They are expecting us in the Great Hall."

"I shall be with you presently. There is something I must attend to first." This answer may have seemed insufficient, as the speaker continued, "Thor, I shall be there. You should go, or Father will worry."

Another sigh. "Very well, Loki. But do not be very long."

"I shan't."

A pair of footsteps echoed away before fading into the distance. Rose wondered at the exchange that had taken place, but her eyelids were so heavy she couldn't pry them open. She could already feel consciousness slipping away from her. As if part of her dream, she could swear she felt a hand rest lightly on her shoulder, perhaps testing her wakefulness. She could only muster a mumble in response—she was so tired…

The hand on her shoulder ran down the length of her back while another scooped her legs together. Once again, Rose found herself airborne in the arms of…someone. Was this the mysteriously absent other brother, the other prince? Was this Loki? If only she could will her eyes open, but it was like she was floating motionless in a vat of pudding, her limbs felt so heavy. She had only enough energy to reach up with her free right hand and curl it around his neck. Somewhere in her subconscious, she figured that she should be cautious, or perhaps self-conscious about such physical contact with a stranger whom she had not even laid eyes on yet, but perhaps she was simply dreaming. She couldn't be bothered to care. In fact, she felt oddly comfortable as she was carried along. Her face pressed into a warm chest, she caught the scent of leather and a spicy musk that was unlike any kind of cologne she could identify.

She didn't know how long it was that she was carried before being laid down gently on a feather soft mattress, but she could feel the moment when the fear came rushing back. Being pulled away into the void, the brief second of absolute nothingness as she passed through, those horrible creatures with the glowing red eyes…she began thrashing impulsively as the night terrors surrounded her.

Long fingers wrapped around both her wrists, holding her steady. "It is all right," a soft and honey-smooth voice said to her as she tried to slow her breathing. "You are safe here." A cool hand rested on her forehead and Rose fell instantly into a peaceful and dreamless sleep.


	6. Chapter 5

When she awoke the next morning as the dawn was breaking, Rose realized in surprise that she could not remember the last time she had slept so soundly the whole night through. How curious. But what was more curious was her dream—being scooped up and carried by an unfamiliar pair of arms. And yet, Rose couldn't shake the feeling that they were the same arms that delivered her to safety on the ice planet. Strange dream indeed. And for some reason, she recalled the smell of leather.

It wasn't long after she had risen and went walking about again that she was approached by Thor, who offered her his arm and ardently professed his wish to show her around the gardens. Rose accepted, figuring that it was only a matter of time before she was forced to socialize with the inhabitants of this planet.

There was mostly silence between them as they walked, as Thor seemed unlike the type to initiate conversation, and Rose feeling more than just a little intimidated by his looming height and resounding voice. It wasn't hard to imagine him as being a king, she noted. They passed through the gardens outside and Rose admired the sculpted hedges and blooming flowers that occupied the premises. After awhile, they reached a clearing, where Rose could see a small number of people gathered in what looked to be a practice arena. For what, Rose could only begin to guess.

"Thor!" called one of the men, a stout and red-bearded warrior dressed in full armor and swinging an axe. "You wouldn't stand us up again, would you?"

Thor laughed as they approached and slapped his comrade on the back. "Nonsense, Volstagg, I could not stand you up—as it is I who will knock you on your back."

The two men laughed, and Rose was just about to ask what was going on when Thor turned back to her. "You must excuse my friend, he tends to get carried away, especially when it comes to our sparring matches." He introduced her immediately. "Lady Rose, this is Volstagg—one of the Warriors Three. Lady Rose is a guest here for as long as she likes," he assured his friend, smiling widely down at Rose.

Volstagg bowed low before her. "Greetings, m'lady," he said boisterously. He was soon joined by two other men, who Thor hurried to introduce as well.

"This is Hogun and Fandral, the other of the Warriors Three. They are all my dearest friends."

Rose felt once again that she should perhaps be curtseying. Now she knew why Jackie had wanted her to take ballet lessons as a little girl—she was as coordinated as a lame duck. "Pleased to meet you," she smiled at them. "All of you."

Thor led her to a bench to leave her clear of the arena, where apparently Thor and his friends were going to skirmish. "I would not want you anywhere in harm's way," he said to her. Then he straightened back up and looked off to the side. "Are you not joining us, Loki?" he called in the direction of an arched structure nearby, where a figure was leaning casually against it.

"I can see much better from here, Brother," the man replied silkily, and Rose shaded her eyes as she strained to see him from where he was partially masked by the ray of sun.

The Warriors Three laughed in response. "Oh let him skulk by himself, Thor," said the one named Fandral, the blond and over confidant one that Rose was instantly wary of, "Vol could easily snap him in half anyway, couldn't you Vol?" There was more bantering laughter, and Thor glanced back to his brother with a good natured smile, but even from where Rose was sitting, she could tell that he had tensed up against his pillar and refused to remark.

The warriors began to spar, with Volstagg armed with his axe, Fandral wielding a broadsword, the one called Hogun brandishing what looked like a pair of nunchucks, and Thor swinging an oversized hammer that looked like it could wipe out an entire village. After several minutes of unrestrained testosterone fueled combat, Rose got up from her bench and slowly approached the man standing against the pillar.

She saw his eyes flicker to her as she reached him. "Hello," she said shyly, unable to get any sort of sense of him. He was standing very still with no recognizable emotion on his face.

"Hello," he answered her politely. He was watching her curiously, and Rose realized that she was staring blatantly at him. Heat rushed into her cheeks.

"I-I'm sorry, I just…" she struggled to place him—_he looks familiar for some reason_… "I think I've seen you somewhere before."

He looked rather amused. "Have you?"

"It's just that…well, I haven't seen you around here, though. Not since I got here, at least."

He shrugged elegantly. "I go where I want."

Suddenly, Rose recalled the conversation she had overheard between Thor and Odin: _Father, you know as well as I that he comes and goes when and where he pleases. If Loki wishes to be found, he will make it possible to do so._

…Loki?

"Loki." She said it clearly and was rewarded by him giving her his full attention. "Are you Loki?"

It was a moment before he answered. "Yes, I am Loki." A smirk tugged at the side of his mouth. "You have been quite the mystery since you arrived here, Rose."

The direct use of her name took her by surprise, and it was as his electric green eyes locked with hers that she gave a small gasp of recognition. The glossy black hair, the smooth pale skin…that _voice_…

"It's you, isn't it?" she blurted out. "You were the one who found me on that ice planet!"

He laughed then, a soft and agreeable sound that inadvertently caused Rose's heart rate to speed up a notch. "Right on both counts, I'm afraid." He uncrossed his arms and turned his body so that he was leaning against the pillar facing her. "Though I have no idea how you managed to make it there alone. Jotunheim is treacherous."

He was staring at her curiously, and she blushed under his scrutiny. "I don't know either," she admitted. "It's all a bit of a blur, really. I just woke up and…I was there." A thought occurred to her. "What were those things? Those creatures you were fighting?"

His eyes narrowed. "They are Frost Giants-despicable, violent, and dangerous creatures—pillaging only for their own gain." He directed his gaze at the group of warriors battling in the arena. "They are heartless and ruthless. We just barely escaped with our lives."

She followed his gaze. It was difficult to tell who was winning this skirmish, or if it will just continue until someone gets bored. Or killed. It was clear that Thor was doing well, and he threw Loki an excited grin as he managed to knock Fandral to the ground. "Your brother—he likes to fight, doesn't he?"

Loki grinned, and Rose was relieved that he was no longer hung up on the Frost Giant issue. Apparently that was a touchy subject around here. "Only too well," he agreed, "though it gets him into trouble far more times than it is worth. Thor chooses to act through instinct, even though I have told him many times to think before leaping into action. He rarely heeds my warnings."

"He certainly seems like the alpha male of the group," Rose commented, then realized how that could be interpreted. The last thing she wanted to do was insinuate that Loki was emasculated by his brother. "Oh, I-I didn't, I don't mean—"

But he laughed. "I know all too well my brother's strength and love of war and womenfolk. But I also know that what my brother has in physical prowess he lacks in certain social graces, especially when conversing with the fairer sex. That is what makes him such an idiot."

Rose smiled back, grateful that she had not insulted him. In all fairness, for all that Thor apparently spent much of his time trying to impress women, Loki actually seemed more pleasant to be around than his brother. She imagined that assessment to be quite strange, as all signs pointed to Loki as the more reserved or socially distant of the brothers. But he was quiet, he was intelligent, he was charismatic. And the last thing Rose needed was to try to converse with a man who would rather fling his fists than counter her in the art of conversation.

"So you don't plan on joining them in their manly brawling then?" she joked.

"Certainly not." His face darkened slightly, but he carefully maintained an apathetic expression. "Thor's friends, while fiercely loyal to their leader, have no great love for me. They would wish me to engage them in their primitive way of fighting, while they mock me for where my true powers lie."

What did that mean? That he's a lover, not a fighter? Rose opened her mouth to ask, but Loki sensed her curiosity and beat her to it. "Oh yes, I can fight. When I have to. I simply choose to use other methods instead of spears or swords." He lowered his voice conspiratorially. "Weapons are so primitive."

Rose couldn't help it. "Well, go on then. What are your true powers?"

Surprisingly, Loki almost looked taken aback. He appeared pensive for a moment before turning back to her with a strange expression. "Would you really like to see?" he asked slowly, as if he had not expected her question, and he was suddenly unsure about her response.

She nodded eagerly. "Yes, please."

He regarded her carefully, his face expertly masking whatever emotion he was experiencing. Then—"As you wish." He walked purposefully past her, and she had to hurry to keep up with his lengthy strides.


	7. Chapter 6

He led her inside what looked to Rose to be a giant gazebo, open and filled with sunlight, and many yards away from any other man made structure. "What is this place?" she asked in amazement.

"It has been long abandoned," Loki explained, strolling over to a stone table that was constructed in the center of the room. "I use this as my private sanctuary where I can study in peace."

Rose followed him to where he was currently opening one of the dozens of books that were resting on the table. "What do you study?" she prompted him.

He raised his eyes to look at her across the table. "Just watch." She kept her eyes trained on him as he quickly scanned a passage in a book, tracing the words with a long, thin finger before grabbing a handful of powder from a bowl and throwing it into a stone font beside the table. Green flames erupted instantly, causing Rose to startle.

Loki's eyes glowed as Rose watched him through the smoke and flame. He appeared deep in concentration when he raised a hand over the flaming font and said a single word in a language that Rose did not understand, said it in a throaty and rumbling baritone that sent goose bumps spreading all across her skin. And then she saw it.

The flames were no longer flickering wildly across the powdered mixture. Instead, they whirled and interwove together into the misty but defined shape of a snake.

She gasped. "Oh my god…" It was mesmerizing, watching as the snake rose up higher and higher from the font and slunk lazily through the air. Rose tore her eyes away to look at Loki. His hand was still extended towards the snake figure, flexing his fingers dexterously to manipulate its movements. He was watching carefully for her reaction.

"It's brilliant," she breathed truthfully. "I've never seen anything like it."

He blinked once at her, and then his face broke out in a crooked smile. He waved his hand again and the snake evaporated, leaving embers crackling in the font. "I thought that you might be frightened," he told her, looking immensely relieved that she did not run away screaming.

"Of course not!" Rose reassured him. "That was fantastic! How do you do it?"

Loki thought for a minute. "I learned it. They tell me that magic is not inbred, that it is learned—but I have been able to conjure since I was a young child with hardly any education. It would seem that I have a natural gift for it. I do not know of any others in Asgard who practice magic."

Rose stood amazed. "What about the others? Do they know you can do this?"

Loki pursed his lips, a shadow crossing over his face. "Everyone knows it, though no one is ever particularly accepting of it. Thor is the only one who has ever been encouraging instead of condemning."

"I don't understand," Rose said, "why would they condemn you for what you can do?"

"My…gifts," Loki said it like it was something dirty, "are looked down upon because they do not conform with the kind of skills that our society deem worthy of merit."

Oh. "You mean…like what Thor does."

"Yes."

Rose walked behind the table so that she was standing next to him. His eyes followed her. "It doesn't matter what Thor can do," she said firmly, and watched in fascination as he stared at her in surprise. "You have talents that the others could hardly dream of, and it's nothing to be ashamed of."

His lips parted slightly and he cocked his head. "I am not," he said with a sparkle of mischief in his eyes. "That is why I do what I want, whether they approve of it or not."

She smiled widely at him. "That's the spirit!"

His answering smile was more than a little disarming and he was still staring at her intently, so Rose tried very hard to look interested in one of the books on the table. "Is there anything else you can do?"

Another smirk. "There are many things I can do, but perhaps another time."

Rose struggled not to look disappointed. There would be time, especially if she was here for—don't say forever, don't say forever—_a while_, then she would be glad to have someone to spend time with who wasn't busy trying to assert his masculinity in front of his comrades.

Loki gestured outside. "Come, we should return you before Thor comes looking."

"Is that something that he would do?"

"Most assuredly."

She giggled, and felt warmth spread through her as they walked back together.


	8. Chapter 7

Rose remembered when Loki had said that he could fight, but that he chose not to use conventional methods. It wasn't until several days later that she understood what he had meant.

Thor had asked her to grace him with her presence at a sparring match. _Is that what he does all the time? _she wondered, _just go around fighting with people because he can? _She almost turned down the invitation so she could maybe poke around the palace some more, but when she learned that Thor would be taking on his brother in mock combat, she couldn't possibly pass up the opportunity. She had seen Thor's fighting style—now it was time to see Loki's.

She was led to a room of the palace that she had not seen before, one the approximate size of a football field that was mostly empty save for several cases and displays of various weaponry laid out against the wall. Rose took a seat in one of the cushioned chairs set up specifically for casual observers, of which she was one of a few on this day. On one side of the room, she could see Thor preparing for the match, falling to the floor in a series of vigorous pushups and the like, while on the other end, Loki was sitting peacefully on the ground as if in a meditative trance.

Rose could hardly contain her curiosity and excitement to see how this would go down. She turned to the woman who was sitting in the chair next to her. "Have you seen them duel before?" she asked eagerly.

The woman, a lovely brunette, smirked and seemed just short of snorting at the question. "Of course—they fight all the time. Thor nearly always wins." She laughed at the look of concern on Rose's face. "Oh do not be like that. It is common knowledge that Thor is the better warrior. But it is also said that Loki is the most creative." She extended a hand to Rose. "My name is Sif."

Rose shook her hand, pleasantly surprised to speak to a woman here who was assertive and forward. "I'm Rose Tyler."

Sif nodded knowingly. "Yes, we have all heard of you by now. You have made quite the impression in the House of Odin." Her tone was one of secrecy, and suddenly Rose realized there was something that Sif was keeping from her.

"An impression? What do you mean?"

Sif shot her a smirk that was worthy of Loki. "Oh, you shall find out soon enough."

Deciding to put that troubling question out of her mind for the moment, Rose directed her attention back to the sparring arena, as the match was about to start. Both opponents approached each other and met in the middle of the room.

"Are you ready, Brother?" asked Thor with a playful smile on his face.

Loki returned the smile, though his was far less playful and slightly more sinister. "The question is if _you_ are ready, Brother."

They shook hands, firmly but quickly, and at the sound of the trumpet, began the match.

Rose watched them fight in stunned amazement, trying very hard to keep track of what was happening. Thor would come at Loki with his hammer, swinging wide, and Loki would bend agilely to the side to dodge the blow. From what Rose saw, she couldn't understand Loki's technique—he was completely unarmed. He wore his traditional body armor as usual, but he held no weapon in self-defense. All he did was simply move fast enough to get out of Thor's way.

And move fast he did.

He was amazingly light on his feet, having the advantage of being smaller and leaner and weighing far less than his more muscular brother, managing to easily and smoothly turn, dive and spin around his opponent to deflect the blows.

_He's so graceful_, Rose thought as she watched him. Loki was built like a dancer, and the analogy was fitting to his fighting style. Thor was already breathing heavily in exertion from trying to catch his nymph of a brother when Loki decided to change tactics.

In a calculated move, he waved his hands in front of his body and a sudden gust of wind hit Thor full force, knocking him off his feet and onto the floor. Rose gasped.

"Is he allowed to do that?" she turned to Sif, "is he allowed to use his magic?"

Sif shrugged. "There is not much they are _not_ allowed to do in these matches. Anything goes, really—they play to their strengths."

Loki immediately used the moment of distraction while Thor was recovering himself to execute a perfect and spontaneous backflip. Twisting in midair, he grabbed hold of a golden scepter amongst the weaponry and performed a flawless three-point landing.

By now, Thor had gotten to his feet and threw himself at Loki once more. This time, Loki plunged the scepter into the ground and a split second before Thor collided with him, catapulted himself into the air and spun around the pole, landing lightly while Thor fell right past him.

Loki grinned manically at Thor, holding the scepter at arm's length between them. "Had enough yet, Brother?"

Thor growled and spun around, clearly aggravated that Loki had eluded him. "Not hardly."

They clashed again, and this time it was hammer against scepter. Their weapons met with a force great enough to shake the foundations of the building, and sparks of lightning exploded at the point of impact. Rose shivered in both fear and excitement. It looked like they were really going for it now.

And so it continued, with neither one gaining the upper hand, until it happened—quick as a lion's spring, Thor kicked Loki's feet out from under him and aimed the hammer directly at his brother's chest. Rose clamped a hand over her mouth—how suddenly the tides had turned…she winced at the sight of Loki pinned on the ground.

"Time for you to surrender, Brother," Thor ordered gruffly. Loki raised his hands and for a moment, Rose thought that he might in fact concede the match, when suddenly—_he disappeared. _Loki had vanished on the spot, leaving everyone speechless for a split second before he reappeared several feet behind Thor with the scepter in hand. Giving Thor no time to whirl around, Loki swung the scepter around and connected it with Thor's body with a solid crack, sending Thor sprawling face up on the floor and the hammer flying.

In the time it took to blink, Loki was kneeling on either side of Thor's body, effectively pinning him down. The curved tip of the scepter was pressed firmly into the side of his neck. "You first," he hissed.

The room had fallen so silent you could hear a pin drop. Rose didn't realize she was holding her breath until she saw Thor raise his hands in surrender, giving his brother a defeated smile. "Well done, Brother," she heard him whisper. At that, Loki pulled himself up and offered a hand to Thor, who took it gratefully and rose to his feet. The arena burst into applause at this great ending to an exciting match.

Rose's hands stung from the enthusiastic applauding, but she didn't care. She watched as Thor patted his brother on the back, retrieved his hammer, and walked over to her. "I must thank you for coming, Lady Rose," he said, kissing her hand. "You do me great honor by attending."

She tried to be polite and focus on what he was saying to her, but her eyes flickered past Thor to where Loki was still standing in the center of the room, leaning on the scepter and staring at her. "Um, you're welcome," she said in response, hoping that Thor would let go of her hand soon. "You did very well, Thor. Really." Because, she figured, there were probably not many opponents who could be capable of even coming close to defeating Loki. Not with his speed and agility. With that, Thor did indeed leave her in favor of strolling over to where Sif had been sitting and where now the Warriors Three were gathered to surely sing his praises.

Rose made her way to Loki and observed with great interest that his cheeks were tinted pink from exertion, and his skin glistened with a thin layer of sweat. He was gazing intently down at her. "I told you I did not fight with the usual weapons," he reminded her gently. "Do you now understand?"

"What I understand," Rose told him clearly, "is that you did a bloody spectacular job, and I have never seen anything more brilliant in my life."

His lips pulled back in a dazzling smile, showing off his sparkling white teeth. Rose joined in as he laughed triumphantly. As the laughter died, he gazed seriously into Rose's eyes. "Thank you," he said quietly, his smile slowly disappearing and his expression turning slightly awed.

"For what?" she asked. He appeared at a loss for a moment, wordlessly searching her face.

"For being the only one who came here to support _me_," he whispered.

Rose's breath caught and she swallowed hard. Thinking back to one of her first assumptions of Loki, that he was the least popular of the brothers, she realized how close to the mark she had been. It was clear from his face that he was all too aware of Thor's adoring fan club and he knew that everyone had been rooting against him. She was shocked to think that this might have been the first time that anyone had picked him over his brother. But how could they not?

His unblinking green eyes were piercing into her almost too intensely for comfort. It was as if he were trying to read her mind, or see into her very soul. Rose opened her mouth to say something, anything, when a loud voice shattered the moment.

"Still here, brother?" Thor threw a heavy arm around Loki's shoulders and Loki reluctantly tore his gaze away from her. "Come, we must celebrate in the Great Hall—my baby brother has finally beaten me in battle. I am insisting that you be there."

"Certainly," Loki agreed, fixing a friendly smile onto his face with such ease that it was nearly impossible for Rose to think that just a moment before, he had been staring at her with such a heated gaze that it made her skin prickle and her heart stutter. He turned casually back to her. "Will you be joining us?"

Both brothers were staring expectantly at her. "Why not?" she said, deliberately not noticing the way Loki's eyes lit up when she agreed.

"Very well then." Thor extended his arm to her. Rose caught Loki's gaze and he simply grinned and rolled his eyes. Thor was still waiting on her, so she decided to just go along with it. She took his arm and they walked towards the Great Hall, with Loki trailing closely behind.


	9. Chapter 8

The Asgardian way of celebrating, Rose quickly discovered, was to get as many people together in one place as possible, hand them each a tankard or two of mead, and let them have at it until the wee hours of the morning.

The last time she had done any amount of excessive drinking was for her friend Wendy's bachelorette party, and even that was months ago. Here, she found herself having a great time, even being challenged to a mead guzzling race by one of the men sitting closest to her. Cheers erupted around the long table as she managed to down hers first, and Rose could see Loki across the table from her, giving her an encouraging smile. She giggled and wondered if he would come over and talk to her, but he appeared to have his hands full as Thor began getting extremely rowdy, having already polished off at least six tankards already. Rose felt a tap on her left shoulder.

"Hello, there," said the handsome blond, who Rose recognized even as her head went a bit fuzzy as Fandral. "You remember me, don't you, Rose?"

She nodded and smiled widely at him. "Sure I do, yeah. You're good at using your sword."

He slipped his hand around her neck and into her hair, and she could smell the alcohol on his breath. "I could give you a demonstration now, if you like," he purred in her ear.

Rose blinked and was about to ask him what he meant when he was suddenly pulled away from her roughly. She tried to focus her eyes, and saw Loki holding Fandral back by the collar of his shirt.

"That is enough," he warned in a low, dangerous voice. Fandral struggled uselessly against him.

"Get off of me, Silvertongue," he snapped, his words slurring in his mouth. Loki growled in his ear.

"If you lay one finger on her again, I will see to it that you have no tongue." He pushed Fandral away from him, and looked back to Rose who stared at him in confusion.

"Come, let me get you out of here," he said, gently taking her hand in one of his and placing the other at the small of her back.

"But—I was having fun," she complained, letting him lead her out of the Great Hall and through the abandoned hallway.

"Yes, but too much of that kind of fun will get you killed," Loki gently pointed out. "Or worse, in this case."

Rose blinked hard again to clear out her vision when something caught her eye. "Oh!" She pulled out of Loki's grasp and stumbled under the archway that led to the outside.

"Rose—"

She ignored his protests and took a deep breath of night air. She closed her eyes and spread her arms out wide, feeling the sense of peace and calm that washed over her. She felt his cool hands guide her to a bench. "Here, at least sit down."

They sat down together and Rose stared up at the night sky. There were stars and planets peppering the dark backdrop and before Rose knew what was happening, her cheeks were wet with tears.

"What is the matter?" Loki sounded faintly alarmed, and she hastily brushed the tears away.

"It's just that…I was so glad to leave home," she admitted, continuing to explain when Loki remained silent. "He took me away, and I was so glad to leave. He showed me planets, and galaxies and things I couldn't even imagine." She lifted her face to the sky and tried to ignore the familiar throbbing in her chest.

"Who?" Loki's voice came quietly from the dark beside her.

She sniffed. "The….the Doctor. He took me everywhere, showed me everything-"

"Did he leave you?"

Rose turned to look at Loki, but his face was carefully guarded. He simply stared at her and waited for an answer. "N-no, he didn't—it wasn't his fault," she hurried to explain, but she was having trouble getting the words to come out coherently. "It was…an accident. I got pulled away from him." This was getting hard, and suddenly Rose wanted the comfort of physical contact. If only to reassure herself that she was still here—still alive. Still existing. Without thinking, she reached over and grabbed Loki's hand, which was resting lightly on his thigh. Something flickered across his eyes, and it looked like he might say something, but he just closed his mouth and let her hold his hand.

They sat there quietly for a few minutes before Loki spoke. "Perhaps we should return inside."

"No…" Rose couldn't leave, not yet. Somehow, staring up at the great big universe overhead was pleasant rather than heartbreaking. For the most part. She tugged at his arm to bring him closer and nuzzled into his collar, wrapping her other arm around his neck. Immediately, she felt his body tense up and he inhaled sharply at the sudden contact. She could feel his breath graze her ear as he bent his head.

"What do you want?" he whispered, his voice rougher than usual. Or perhaps she was hearing things. She was already so very tired.

"Just hold me, alright?" she mumbled into his jacket, noting distantly that the top few buttons of his shirt were undone. Huh. That's odd. He always dresses so neatly…her fingers slowly uncurled from his neck and found the long patch of pale skin, tracing a path over his Adam's apple which jumped at her touch, and trailed down to the place where the buttons met. She could feel the racing of his heart and the warmth of his skin through his clothes. His breath stuttered in her ear, and she felt him bring his hand up—figuring that he would move her hand away from his skin—but rather, he covered her hand with his own, locking it in place at the dip of his shirt. His other hand found her back again and very tentatively, as if he were being extremely cautious of any possible remarks from her about boundaries, pressed his fingers into her back, holding her to him.

Hm, this feels strangely familiar, Rose thought sleepily as she breathed in his scent. Leather and what was it…? There was something else she couldn't name, something that she realized must be distinctively Loki. For some odd reason, this was a comforting thought for her and Rose breathed in deeply once again before drifting off to sleep.


	10. Chapter 9

When she woke, her head pounded relentlessly and it took her three tries to sit up without feeling nauseous. She gingerly opened her eyes and hoped that Claudelle would be there again with a tonic, this time to help her hangover. But no such luck—the nursemaid was not present. It was only then that Rose realized that she was back in her bedroom—or at least, the bedroom she had been given to use.

Rose groaned and pulled herself out of bed to look in the mirror at how much damage had been done. Her blonde hair was a mess atop her head and her normally warm brown eyes were bloodshot. "Aye, well you've done it now, haven't you," she muttered to herself, trying in vain to smooth out her tangled hair. Feeling her senses slowly returning to her, Rose wondered—_how did I get back last night?_ The last thing she remembered was snuggling up to Loki on the bench outside. Her cheeks burned at the memory. _Oh God…I've made a complete idiot of myself already!_ She couldn't imagine what he must think of her, not after she had gotten too drunk and practically threw herself at him. Not her finest moment.

Well, nothing much to do now. She figured she had to come out of her room sometime… Sighing once again at her pitiful reflection, she trudged out into the corridor to perhaps find a quiet and preferably private place to mope for the remainder of the day.

She didn't make it far before she saw a flash of green out of the corner of her eye. It came from around the corner behind a stone pillar. Curiosity piqued, she headed in that direction, turned around the corner, and collided solidly with a tall figure.

"Well, good morning to you, m'lady."

Oh no. Anyone but him. He was the last person she should be talking to right now, not after last night. "Hello," she mumbled and prayed that her blush was not painfully obvious, or that he would at least not notice. Which of course he did, because he notices everything.

"Did you sleep well last night?" Loki grinned down at her, obviously enjoying watching her squirm in embarrassment.

"I—" she floundered for a moment. "I suppose I did, but I have this massive headache." She gave a sharp, self-deprecating laugh. "I don't know why I thought doing mead chugging was a bloody good idea."

He looked thoughtful. "Your head hurts?"

"Well yes, but—" she broke off with a small squeak as he touched his long fingers to her temples. For a moment she felt strange, like a flicker of electricity had sparked across the inside of her head, but then everything felt lighter and clearer—her migraine was gone.

"There." Loki sounded immensely pleased with himself. "Better?"

Rose let out a disbelieving laugh. "It's incredible!" She gave him a playfully suspicious look. "More magic tricks?"

He winked, and then grinned at her. "Would you like to see some more?" She could only nod enthusiastically—that smirk! The one so full of mischief, fun and danger that sent shivers of anticipation down her spine. He _had_ to know what he was doing—there was no way that he was ignorant to his mesmerizing appeal.

"Then come with me." With that, he reached for her hand, pulling her sharply around the corner and running with her down the hallway. She was about to ask where they were going when he stopped suddenly and she saw what was happening.

The Warriors Three were lounging on the steps in the Great Hall, the room having been cleared out after the celebration last night. They were eating from a bowl of fruit that had been set at the bottom of the stairs. Loki motioned with his head for her to follow him, and they snuck behind one of the pillars within several feet of where the warriors were sitting.

Rose realized immediately what was about to happen. She smiled, and didn't even need to look over at Loki to know what he had in mind. Sure enough, a piece of fruit began to rise out of the bowl and float at the Warriors' eye level. Rose had to stifle a laugh as Volstagg's eyes bulged in their sockets and he choked on the food he was currently munching on.

"What the—" Hogun spluttered ineloquently as they all stared at the floating piece of fruit. Rose glanced over at Loki, whose eyes were sparkling. He twisted his fingers and the fruit did several somersaults in the air before hitting Fandral directly in the face, splattering his face with juice.

Rose couldn't help it—she exploded in laughter, and while Loki hurried to cover her mouth with his hand, she could tell that he was shaking with amusement as well.

"What was that?" Volstagg thundered in outrage. "Who is there?" Hogun was busy attending to Fandral, who remained stock still, fruit sliding down his face and his lips quivering in shock and revulsion.

"Go, go!" Loki urged to Rose, who scurried out from behind the pillar. Volstagg's eyes widened when he saw her.

"Lady Rose—" he started in confusion, but when he saw Loki running out after her, he growled, "LOKI!"

This caused Fandral's head to shoot up. "I should have known," he grumbled. "Thor will hear about this, Trickster!"

Loki only laughed as he caught up with Rose, grabbed her hand, and the two ran outside to safety before any could make a move to follow them.

They leaned against a statue in the garden to catch their breath. Rose held her abdomen as she doubled over. "That was so fun!" she gushed as soon as she could speak again. "Is this like, a typical day for you then?" Loki ran his hands through his dark hair as he also tried to breathe properly.

"Usually," he agreed, which caused Rose to burst out laughing again. "That is, when I am not irritating my brother."

Rose took a deep breath. "Do you think they'll tell Thor about this? Will he be angry?"

"Oh, I have no doubt that they will tell Thor. However, I highly doubt that he will be anything other than amused," Loki said confidently. "Thor does not anger easily, at least not where I am concerned."

This was something that Rose had also noticed over the time she had spent here—Thor's temper would constantly get the better of him, throwing tantrums or shouting if he was upset or angry. But never at Loki. No matter the mood that Thor was in, he had a blind spot for his little brother.

"Your brother must really love you," Rose stated casually, and was confused when Loki pursed his lips together into a tight line.

"Yes," he said quietly, avoiding her eyes. "I suppose he must." When he raised his head to meet her gaze he was smiling openly again. "Come." He offered his hand, and Rose took it, enjoying the solid warmth his presence provided as they walked along, fingers twirled together.


	11. Chapter 10

Days turned into weeks and before long, Rose had little concept of how much time she had spent in Asgard. What time she did spend though, was spent with the Trickster, as Loki was called by many. She preferred that term to others that she had heard applied to him—Silvertongue, Liesmith, Deceiver—it curled her blood to listen to everyone hiss under their breaths whenever Loki entered a room. What reason could they have to dislike him so much? What has he done to warrant their hate?

"So, when will you be back?" she asked Loki as he and Thor were saddling up their horses in the early afternoon.

"In a day or so," was the answer. His eyes flickered from his horse to where she was standing. He must have read some emotion on her face, because he immediately turned to her and asked, "What is the matter?"

Rose twisted her fingers anxiously. "It sounds so dangerous—Sif said that sometimes you would be gone for days."

He flashed her a reassuring smile. "It is merely a hunt, Rose. Nothing to worry about."

"But—it's just that, I won't have any idea if you get ki-" she stopped herself at once. "…I mean, in case you don't come back." She felt tears building in her eyes and stared resolutely at the ground. _What are you getting so worked up about? He's probably done this a million times._

She saw as his long legs strode over to her, stopping a careful distance away. "Why would you weep for me?" he sounded absolutely baffled.

Sniffing, she took a deep breath and looked into his eyes. His brow was crinkled and his lips slightly parted. His eyes scanned her whole face for answers. "I don't know," she said honestly. "I guess I just couldn't stand it if you got hurt." She left it at that. It was the best she could do right now.

Very slowly, Loki reached his hand out and touched a lock of her hair that was hanging down her neck. He held it between his fingers delicately. "I give you my word that I will return," he promised softly, "on the condition that you give me your word that you will not fret over me while I am gone."

It was such a simple touch, but Rose felt the pulse in her throat quicken in response. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Thor staring at them from where he was preparing his horse. "Come, Loki," he called, a slight edge to his voice. "We must make way before it gets dark."

Loki kept his eyes locked on Rose as he answered. "I will be with you in a moment," he replied. He unwound his finger from her hair, much to her disappointment. His lips curled up in a crooked smile. "Take this, and do not worry for me." As she watched, he gave a subtle wave of his hands and conjured a single white rose.

Speechless, she took it from him and smelled it curiously, figuring that a flower created from nothing might be lacking in the real world qualities. But it was perfect—the heady scent filled her nose and a wave of calm washed over her. She beamed at Loki. "It's beautiful," she breathed.

Loki's eyes darkened as she watched, his bottom lip pulled in with his teeth. For a sudden, agonizing moment, she thought _is he going to…maybe—_

"I shall return," he repeated huskily, taking a step backwards. She stared wide-eyed as he sauntered over to where Thor was waiting, and mounted his horse with the greatest of ease. He glanced back at her only once before he and Thor rode off into the distance, disappearing beyond a wall of trees.

_A day or so, that's what he said. You can wait a day or so_, she tried to convince herself.

It was harder than she thought.

"They've returned!"

Rose heard the exclamations of the others in the Great Hall where she had been reading a book that she found in the Ancient Library. The book dropped from her hands as she followed the crowd of people who were rushing outside to welcome home their two princes.

As Rose pushed through the crowd, she saw that the trip had been eventful—they had returned with bags overflowing with herbs, fruit and most importantly, fresh game. Thor was the first to catch her eye, and he walked briskly and purposefully to her. "M'lady Rose—I sincerely hope that you have been well during our absence." He kissed her hand roughly, and Rose couldn't help but feel that this had something to do with the fact that Loki was observing closely from nearby where he had dismounted his horse.

"Yes, I-I'm fine," she assured Thor, "I'm glad you both made it back safely." Thor bowed his head to her before getting enveloped in the crowd of well-wishing subjects. Rose turned back to look for Loki when she realized that he was already striding towards her, and she hurried to meet him halfway.

She let out a relieved laugh and without thinking, threw her arms around his neck. She heard him let out a started chuckle, but his arms wound around her immediately and he held her tightly to his chest, bending his head to rest in the crook of her shoulder.

"I'm so glad you're back," she admitted, clinging to him in relief and found it encouraging that he did not pull himself away.

Instead, she felt his warm breath on her neck and the feather light flutter of his lips as he murmured, "You promised you wouldn't worry."

She shrugged, cueing him to gently disengage her arms from her neck so that she could see his face. "I guess I lied," she shrugged playfully. His eyes sparkled mischievously.

"Oh no, _m'lady_," he smirked mockingly. "That is _my_ area of expertise."

She took his proffered arm with a face-splitting grin, and walked with him inside the palace, where it was presently declared that there would be a formal ball to commemorate the successful hunt. She looked to Loki in surprise. "A ball? Because of a hunting trip?"

He narrowed his eyes at her. "Hunting is taken very seriously in Asgard, Rose. You would do well to remember that."

She was taken aback by his suddenly harsh tone and was about to retaliate when the slight curve of his lips indicated that he was joking. She scoffed and whacked him in the arm, causing him to grin triumphantly. "I wonder myself…there has not been a ball held here in ages," he seemed to be thinking out loud. "Perhaps Father wants to use any excuse to praise Thor's abilities for all to see."

Rose was sure she detected something here, a crack in his usually perfect armor. "Does your father do that a lot?" she asked carefully.

He remained motionless for a moment before he answered. "Yes. He has made it abundantly clear on numerous occasions that Thor is and has always been his favorite."

Ignoring the stab in her heart as she felt his bitterness, Rose hurried to change the subject. "Well in any case, I suppose a ball would be interesting." She caught him staring at her from the corner of his eye with his brow raised skeptically. "What, you don't think so?"

"I find events such as these are rather tedious," he sighed.

"Does that mean you're not planning on going then?"

"It is required that I should attend. But I hardly participate."

For some reason, Rose felt a pang of disappointment. "Oh," was all she managed to say before she was abruptly swept into the crowd by a firm hand. "If I may have a word with you, m'lady?"

Thor.

"Um, sure." She had only enough time to whip her head around and see Loki watching her, his head cocked and eyes narrowed. It was only seconds before she lost him completely.


	12. Chapter 11

Rose found Loki some time later sitting alone on the grand staircase, the one she had discovered in the abandoned hallway on her first day. His head snapped up when he heard the soft patter of her footsteps. "Are you alright?" he sounded concerned.

She nodded and sat down on the step beside him. There was a moment of tense silence between them as Rose debated with herself about how to tell Loki what had happened.

"Rose…" he insisted, seeing all too well her attempt at evading whatever matter was on her mind. "What did Thor want with you?"

Taking a deep breath, she answered him slowly to judge his reaction. "He asked me to accompany him to the ball." She bit her lip and waited.

He merely blinked. "Of course he did."

This wasn't the response that Rose had expected. Or hoped for. "You don't seem very surprised."

"Why should I be? It is entirely what I would expect from my brother. I told you before; his two great loves are for battle and for women. Thor always did like to take the best for himself. He would never attend an event such as this without the company of the most beautiful woman on his arm for all to see." His words caught slightly in this throat as he fixed his eyes unwaveringly on the stairs below.

Rose gaped at him. Was that…a compliment? Did he really just call her beautiful? He had said it so smoothly, like it was common knowledge—a statement of fact. Did he even realize what he had said? She swallowed. "I told him no."

There was a sharp intake of breath and Loki's shoulders tensed. His eyes widened but did not look at her. "You did what."

"I said that it was very sweet of him to ask, but that I would have to decline."

"What did he say?"

"Nothing." She thought back on the scene. Thor had floundered for several minutes, taken aback by her refusal. Eventually, after finding nothing to say in response, he simply stalked out of the room. "He seemed a bit put out, actually."

At this Loki laughed sharply. "Thor has never been denied anything. No one has ever dared to."

"Well, I did. There's a first time for everything."

"Why?" he asked quietly. He was still avoiding her gaze, Rose noticed as he unconsciously rubbed his fingers aimlessly across his palm. "Why would you say no?"

_Alright Rose—it's now or never._ "Because I'd rather go with you."

Silence filled the corridor as Rose waited nervously for his response. The atmosphere had shifted between them, tension coiling tangibly in the air and standing Rose's nerves to attention. Very slowly, Loki turned his head to finally meet her gaze. His eyes were like shuttered windows that had suddenly been blown open. He rather looked like someone had just pulled a rug out from under him.

"You would turn down my brother's offer so that you could attend with me?" he rephrased carefully, making sure he understood her reasoning. She had never seen him so unintentionally unguarded.

She bit her lip again and nodded. "Yes. And I know you're going to ask me why, and I'm so sorry that you feel like you have to." She reached out for his fingers, which slowly curled around hers. "I know you think that Thor is better at you than everything, but it's not true. I have seen you do amazing things, Loki." The intensity with which he was staring into her eyes was almost enough to unravel her, but she had to finish what she started. She couldn't remember the last time she had ever been this bold. "I want you to be the one to escort me to this ball."

Loki's eyes lingered a moment longer on hers, then he gently brought her hand to his lips. "Then I should not disappoint you," he said softly.


	13. Chapter 12

Rose was glad to have Claudelle to help her prepare, because the entire day of the ball, she was trembling with too much anticipation to be in any way productive.

"Have a look at these gowns, m'lady," Claudelle was saying, holding open the doors to the boudoir.

Rose's mouth dropped open at the sight. Gowns of every color, cut and design—more stunning than any dresses she had ever seen, much less had the nerve to wear. She gingerly fingered a pastel blue number and admired its softness.

Claudelle smiled at her. "Oh, that one is lovely, m'lady. You would wear it well."

It was at that moment that Rose desperately wanted to ask Claudelle for advice, woman to woman. "Can I ask you something?" she asked.

"Of course, m'lady."

She asked the first thing on her mind. "What do you think of Loki?"

This was obviously not what Claudelle had expected to be asked. "I have no business knowing the affairs of His Royal Highness."

"But you must know what he's like," Rose urged her. "He says he's been to balls before—well, what does he usually do at one?"

Claudelle sighed and seemed resigned to the fact that Rose was going to be unrelenting in her curiosity. "I do not know the prince personally, and have only waited upon him a small number of times in the past. In the cases of balls, as you ask," she continued at Rose's prompting, "it would seem that he merely keeps to himself. Prince Loki hides his true emotions well, m'lady—I know not what he feels or thinks of in these situations. I do know that he has never taken an escort before, though. Ever."

This surprised Rose, and she wondered if she _should_ be surprised. _You can't have thought you were the only one…but then how could Loki with all his brilliance and charm have never…was it even possible?!_ She swallowed thickly.

Claudelle smiled knowingly at her. "Prince Loki remains a mystery to everyone who he does not intentionally let in," she revealed. "I cannot know his heart—I would only respectfully encourage you to be careful."

"Careful?" Rose repeated in confusion. What should she need to be careful of? It was really her own heart that was in danger of breaking—_what could he possibly find interesting about me?_

"If it's not too bold to say, m'lady—you need to know just how different these brothers are. Prince Thor—you have seen how reckless and impulsive he is. He does not guard his feelings or restrain his temper. Prince Loki—well, he is a perfect foil to his brother, m'lady. He is quiet where his brother is loud, sensitive where his brother is rough and so on." She took in Rose's conflicted expression. "All I am saying, m'lady, is that even though Loki hides himself from everyone and keeps his feelings locked away, this does not mean that his feelings are any less powerful or passionate than Thor's."

Rose bit her lip as she took in this information. Perhaps there was even more to learn about him than she previously thought. She turned back to the dresses to distract herself and a certain gown caught her eye. It was tucked away between two other dresses that were much more extravagant than this one. Her breath stopped as she pulled it out to view.

This gown was an electric emerald hue with a low v-neck and was cut diagonally at the knee. Rose felt excitement flow through her as she ran her hand over the slinky material. It felt so light…it was obviously designed to tightly hug each and every curve. She turned it over in her hands and blushed. It was backless, with a single green stone attached to the fabric at the small of the back. This dress is more than elegant, Rose thought with a thrill. It's sophisticated—glamorous. And the more she held it, the more a strange thought came to her.

_It reminds me of him._

How strange—perhaps it was the color green that matched his signature leather outfit, that accentuated his expressive eyes—or perhaps it was the fact that when Rose looked at this dress she saw what she saw in Loki—mystery, danger, desire…

It was decided. "I want this one," she declared to Claudelle.

There was a twinkle in the old woman's eye. "You will be dressing to match him," she remarked astutely. "A detail like that will not go unnoticed by him."

Rose held this sinful creation against her body. "Do you…do you think he'll like it?" she asked nervously.

"In all the time I have served Prince Loki," Claudelle replied as she began to help Rose into the dress, "I have never seen him show any preference towards a woman." She cracked an amused smile. "You wear this tonight, and I imagine that even Loki for all his eloquence will be speechless."

The woman staring back at Rose from the mirror was mature, sophisticated and absolutely stunning. Rose had never held much stock in the belief that good clothes can transform a person, but this metamorphosis could not be argued.

"You will silence the entire court," Claudelle promised, rolling the curlers out of Rose's hair so that the locks fell in waves lightly brushing her shoulders. "Heads will turn when you arrive, m'lady."

"Only one head, I hope," she muttered to herself. She smoothed her dress one more time.

"He is waiting for you outside," Claudelle prompted her kindly, her eyes crinkling in excitement. Rose gave her a grateful hug. "Thank you for everything," she said. Then, taking a deep breath and hoping that she wouldn't faint, she pulled open the bedroom door and walked to the landing of the staircase.

Loki was waiting at the bottom.

He had one hand resting on the railing and the other held behind his back. Rose felt her pulse quicken at the sight of him. As usual, he was dressed impeccably, his straight posture making him appear constantly several inches taller than her. His black hair was slicked back, allowing his prominent cheekbones to be exposed. He looked every inch a painted angel—flawless like carved stone and glowing radiantly in the candlelight.

It wasn't until she took a step forward in her stiletto heels that his head tilted up to look at her.

The expression on his face as his eyes roamed her body took her breath away. It was unlike any look she had ever seen, or that he had ever given her before. He looked absolutely dazed and momentarily out of his element. With a surge of triumphant satisfaction, Rose realized that he was staring at her as if he had never seen a woman before. But then again, she remembered Claudelle's words, maybe he hadn't-not like this, at least.

Using every bit of concentration she had left, Rose focused on stepping down the stairs while trying not to trip. His eyes followed her in a very distracting fashion, illuminated and full of heat, locking on her every move.

Finally, she reached the bottom and nearly shivered under his gaze. For one infinite second, her skin prickled with real fear—if she didn't know him, she would categorize his stare as blatantly predatory. She fidgeted with her hair. "Well?" she said. "What do you think?"

A genuine smile lit up against his ivory skin, relieving the tension of the moment. He ran his knuckles down the bare skin of her arm, and this time she did shiver. "You are perfect."

She accepted the arm that he offered to her, and they walked into the ballroom together.


	14. Chapter 13

The crowd parted for them as they entered the hall, and Rose's head buzzed with the whispers directed at them as they passed by—how shocking it was too see Loki with anyone, how well they looked together, but there were hisses that Rose caught that were not nearly as positive.

Loki rested his hand on hers that was on his arm in encouragement. Rose glanced around the room for any familiar faces. She saw Sif in the corner, apparently being flocked by several suitors but was studiously ignoring all of them. Across the room were the Warriors Three, standing relatively clumped together but each with their own escort. Except Fandral, who unsurprisingly had a total of four women each clinging to him in turn.

There was one face that Rose was nervous about seeing, and sure enough, it was only a moment later that she spotted Thor standing on the stairs next to Odin, glowering murderously in Loki's direction.

"Ignore him," Loki said, pulling her close as music began playing. "His tantrum will pass."

Rose could only nod, because she had become acutely aware of their proximity to each other. She had thrown her arms around him in a hug not days before, but this was somehow different. She had never been much of a dancer and had no idea that Loki was, but he confidently swept her across the dance floor, never letting her stumble and never once looking away from her.

How long had they been dancing? The world seemed fuzzy all around her, the music sounding echo-y in her ears. Their bodies were so close…their chests were barely grazing and yet she could feel each solid beat of his heart. She felt very dizzy and found breathing properly to become nearly impossible, especially when she felt his hand trail lightly down her exposed back, his fingertips lingering just at the rhinestone at the dip in her dress.

She was suddenly overheated, her skin burning where he touched her. And then she noticed that they had stopped moving.

"Shall we take a walk?" came his rumbling voice, closer than she had expected.

"Yes," she breathed. He pulled her gently through the mass of dancing people and out onto the balcony. The night breeze cooled her warm skin, and she sucked in a deep breath, trying to reacquaint herself with basic respiratory functions. "It's so beautiful here," she said when she finally recovered herself. She rested her hands on the railing, admiring the view of Asgard from the balcony.

Loki said nothing in response, but Rose could tell without looking that he was staring at her. She fixed her gaze straight ahead and refused to meet his eyes. If she did…

It soon became clear that her ignoring him was not going to work. She felt the air temperature around her shift as he walked to where she was and stood behind her, with his chest pressed flush against her back. He reached in front of her to cover her hands with his. His breath was hot in her ear. "You wore that dress for me tonight." He did not say it like a question.

He was being very distracting, but Rose decided that two could play that game. "What makes you think that?" she responded coyly.

"Do not play games with me," he whispered as a warning, a rough edge to his voice. "You have no idea the depths I can stoop to when I want something badly enough."

She swallowed hard. "And do you?" she was almost afraid to ask. "Want something badly enough?"

His hands trailed up her arms and gently turned her to face him, with her back against the balcony railing. Very slowly, he ran his fingers through her hair, his large hand gently cupping her neck and jaw. His eyes were dark and unfocused as they flickered down to her lips and back up again. He was being surprisingly hesitant, his lips parting slightly as his chest rose and fell in a stuttering rhythm. He inclined his head ever so slightly so that their noses were brushing for an agonizing second, their breath mingling, and then he dipped his lips to her mouth.

Rose gasped as his lips molded to hers. If she had bothered to have any sort of expectation at all about his experience or lack of it, all of it came crumbling down now. Loki's lips were unbearably soft, but confident—there was no way he hadn't done this before, she thought. He knew exactly what he was doing.

Her hands found his broad shoulders and pulled him in closer—in response, his hand reclaimed the small of her back before trailing to settle on her hip, his long fingers kneading gently into her skin.

His lips burned as the kiss became more insistent, more restless. Her fingers wove into his hair, and she marveled at the silkiness. Gently, she grazed his scalp with her fingernail and tugged on his hair, causing a low moan from the back of his throat. His lips tore away from her mouth, but before she could worry about what she did wrong, he had taken hold of her hips and in one fluid motion, spun her around and pinned her back against the palace wall.

She arched her neck, seeking his lips again, but Loki was already lowering his mouth to her neck, gently kissing and biting at the sensitive skin there. She wanted to touch him, do something with her hands, but he had those pinned too, keeping her motionless against his firm body.

He trailed a kiss up the length of her neck, to her jawline, to right below her ear, and it wasn't enough, there had to be more…don't stop…

"LOKI!"

Rose's body stilled at the sound of that outraged voice, but Loki's lips still caressed her. "Go away," he murmured stubbornly against her skin.

"No. Come with me, brother—NOW."

Loki growled, and Rose could feel him tensing, his touches slowing. "Make me, Thor."

"Indeed I would brother, but I do not wish to involve Lady Rose in any threat of physical violence."

At that, she felt Loki disengage himself from her arms, keeping his eyes locked on her. "Stay here," he warned huskily. She could only nod silently as she watched him turn to his brother with an icy expression.

Thor inclined his head back inside the ballroom. "Follow me, Brother."

Rose could see him struggling between defying and obeying orders. If there was anything Loki hated in the world, it was being told what to do. There was a moment's hesitation before Loki followed Thor inside and she suddenly felt the chill of the night air with his absence.

Stay here, he had said. The idea of remaining alone outside while he was having a confrontation with Thor that was most likely her fault made her grit her teeth in resolution.

_Well, Loki—you're not the only one who hates doing as they're told._

She turned on her heel and hurried back inside the ballroom just in time to see the men walk out into the hallway. She hurried to follow them.


	15. Chapter 14

The raised voices led her around the corner, and Rose hid behind the wall to overhear.

"…really none of your business, Thor."

"It is my business, Brother, when you go behind my back to secure the hand of the woman I would have as my escort."

"If I had but known that she would refuse you, I can assure you that I would certainly have gone in front of your back. But she chose me."

There was a rumbling growl. "You lie."

"Do I? Is it so hard for you to imagine that you are not the center of everyone's world, Brother? Why must you always take away from me everything that I want?"

There was a pause. "You know that is not true."

Rose could hear the snap in Loki's voice. "Of course it is! You claim to be deserving of all things simply because you are older than I—because you will one day be _king_," he snarled the word. "What Father cannot see is what a spoiled brat you really are."

A thundering crash made Rose jump. _What was going on?_ "You will keep that forked tongue behind your teeth, Brother!"

"You really cannot bear to see me happy, can you?" Loki screamed, and Rose could visualize golden sparks flickering in his fingertips. "You really cannot believe that I could be deserving of anything so pure and beautiful as she!"

Thor gave an exasperated sigh. "You can believe what you want about me, Loki. You always have."

"You would be right."

"…About what?"

"I am not deserving of her. I know that I am not. But she chose me, and if I am never allowed anything else for the rest of my life, I shall at least have her."

"I do wish your happiness, Brother—that will never change. I only wish for myself that it was not with Lady Rose."

"Well. That is just too bad for you then, isn't it."

"Loki—"

Rose could hear the trod of footsteps approaching, and she hurried to back away from the door and press herself against the wall, hoping that it was not obvious that she had been listening in.

Loki swept out into the hallway and spotted her immediately. His eyes flashed once but then softened and it was only then that Rose realized that her own eyes were swimming in tears.

"You heard," he said quietly, his voice breaking slightly.

She nodded. "Yes," she whispered. "I'm so sorry—"

He shook his head and wrapped his arm around her, leading her back down the hall. "It is not your fault," he tried to assure her, his voice cool and reserved again. They walked in silence until he had escorted her back to her room.

She had to say something. "Loki, I don't want to come between you and Thor…"

"Rose." He trailed his cool finger down her cheek, wiping away the tears. "Have you not learned by now?" He brought his mouth down to hers and whispered against her lips. "I do what I want." He kissed her gently, and she tried to get her arms up around his neck, but he softly pulled them away with a small smile. "You should get some sleep."

She hid her disappointment because she could tell that Loki was troubled, though he was trying desperately to keep his face passive. "Goodnight," she said sweetly, touching his arm. There was so much more to him than what he showed, and she hoped that perhaps someday he would share with her.

He kissed her hand once more and then turned and descended the stairs gracefully. Rose opened the door to her room and walked to the mirror, staring at her reflection. Her blonde hair was in disarray and her lips were red and swollen. Blushing at the memory of Loki pinning her against the wall, she slipped off her dress and prepared for bed. It had been a very long day.

The next few days, Loki was mysteriously absent, and Rose was beginning to be concerned about his wellbeing. Was he still upset about his fight with Thor? She had never wanted to be a problem…but oh when he stood up for her…

His words rang in her ears: _"You really cannot believe that I could be deserving of anything so pure and beautiful as she!_ _I am not deserving of her. I know that I am not. But she chose me, and if I am never allowed anything else for the rest of my life, I shall at least have her."_

_Is that really his opinion of me?_ Her heart rate kicked up several notches in spite of herself. She was sure that he had no intention of having her hear, but did that mean that he was lying? She knew as well as anyone that Loki lies to get what he wants, but he had sounded so sincere…It was by far the most achingly romantic thing that anyone had ever said about her. Certainly, Mickey had dropped "I love you"s on her like they were a dime a dozen, but such words had long since lost meaning on her. But this…

Again, she visited the Ancient Library and reclined in the plush cushions, trying to occupy her mind instead of letting it wander to where Loki might be. Hours later, as she was beginning to doze off, she heard the heavy door open and footsteps pad through.

"…Lady Rose?"

She leaned forward, squinting at the shadowy figure that was approaching her. She caught a flash of gold. "Thor?"

The eldest son of Odin stepped out of the shadows and stood in front of her, a respectful distance away. "I apologize—I did not realize anyone was in here."

"It's okay." Rose crossed her arms in front of her warily. She hadn't seen him since the night of the dance, and she wasn't quite sure what his intentions were as of now. "What do you want?"

He held up his hands as a gesture of peace. "I do not wish you harm, Lady Rose—nor do I wish to impose on you. You have already made clear your choice and I shall respect that."

There was a moment of somewhat awkward silence before Rose asked, "How is Loki? I-I haven't seen him for awhile."

Thor bristled at the question and sat down heavily on the chair next to Rose. "Loki…my brother…he is not well."

"What?" Rose felt a chill of fear. "What happened? He's…he's safe, isn't he?"

Thor nodded slowly. "Yes, he is safe."

"Well then what's wrong?"

"It is my Father," he allowed, "he spoke to Loki about something very difficult. Something that has disturbed Loki beyond all reason." He leaned his head into his hands. "I admit that I am also affected, though it makes little difference to me."

Curiosity and worry were making Rose crazy. "What is it?! What about your father? What did he say to him?"

He looked up at Rose with sadness in his blue eyes. "My brother…he was adopted."

Rose's mouth dropped open. "Adopted? How…how is that possible?"

"Father took him in when he was only an infant," Thor explained. "He has raised the two of us like brothers and has never told either of us differently. Until now."

"But, that shouldn't be such a big deal, right?" Rose tried to understand why Thor looked so grave. "I mean, it shouldn't really matter when it was so long ago-you're brothers anyway, right?"

"You are correct in part. For me, it matters none—Loki has been and will always be my brother." Thor shifted his eyes downward. "But there is more to the story. It is not simply that he is adopted—it is the truth of his true parentage that has caused Loki to feel…" he trailed off with a hard swallow.

True parentage? Did he still remember his real parents? "Why, who are his real parents?" she whispered, almost afraid to ask.

He shook his head. "It is not my truth to tell. If Loki wishes to speak more on the subject, you would have to ask him yourself. Though I must warn you—my brother hates himself more now than anyone ever has his entire life. He will not share willingly. Not this."

Rose quickly weighed the pros and cons of seeking Loki out to see if he was alright. It seemed like he wanted to be alone, but then when did he ever not? If he was in pain, if he thought he was reviled by everyone for some reason, should she not assure him that there was still someone who cared about him?

"I'm going to find him," she decided, and Thor merely shrugged in response.

"If you can get through to him, if you could just make him see…" he looked up at her imploringly. "I beg you, be gentle with him. I have never seen my brother so troubled. I worry for him."

With that, Rose practically fled the library, racking her brain for all the possible places that Loki could be hiding. She checked everywhere—the Great Hall, the gardens, even his sanctuary. Nothing. Then an idea came to her. She had only passed his room once, but had never been granted access. It was worth a shot. Selecting a particular corridor, she approached the golden arched door. This was it.

Taking a deep breath, she softly knocked. When there was no answer, she tested the doorknob to find that it was unlocked. Very slowly, she pushed the door open. The room was large, but dimly lit—the walls were lined with books and emerald green tapestries. Rose should have known—this style was all very Loki.

"I imagine they told you everything by now, haven't they."

She whirled her head to see where his voice was coming from. He was standing by the window, his back to her, and he appeared to be in a state of undress, wearing only his leather pants and a button-up sleep shirt. She had never seen him in so few layers before. "No, not everything." Carefully, she took a step towards him.

He was remaining very still, but from where Rose stood, she could see that he was hunched over something, something that was resting on the windowsill. A glowing blue cube of some sort that was emitting the only verifiable light source in the room. "Did they tell you that I was a monster?" his voice was rough and biting.

Rose was appalled. "Of course not! Why would they?"

His laugh was cutting and brutal. "Because that is what I am. Or did they not tell you of my true parentage?"

She swallowed, and took another tentative step forward. He still hadn't turned around. "Thor only told me that you were adopted," she said quietly. "Anything else doesn't matter to me."

"Doesn't it?" he hissed. He turned his head only slightly, but all she could see was shadow still. "Would not it matter to you that I was not what you thought I am—that I am a creature of nightmare, a terror to look upon?"

Fear iced in Rose's veins. He was beginning to frighten her. "W-what are you talking about?"

Then, very slowly, he turned around to face her. He was still masked in the dark, but as she took another step forward, she saw and instinctively stopped in her tracks.

His eyes were what she noticed first as they glowed a deep crimson. But that was nothing compared to his skin. His _skin_…his usual ivory pallor had been replaced by a scaly blue that covered every inch of him, from his face down his exposed chest. She nearly gasped. _He looks just like_—

"I am the child of Frost Giants, Rose," he gritted his teeth in self-contempt. "I am the monster that my—that _Thor_ had vowed to slaughter since he was a child, the monster that my _Father_ had spent years training us how to fight and destroy." He looked down at himself in disgust. "I know now why Thor had been favored all these years, why I have been denied the throne. _Fathe_r could never have a _Frost Giant_ sitting on the throne of Asgard."

Rose took another step forward until she had reached him, looking up into his glowing eyes. He avoided her gaze. Her eyes trailed over his face, the ridges that appeared on his forehead and on his cheeks, down to the planes of his bare chest. Somehow, this did not change his appearance that drastically. She still saw all the qualities that made him Loki, the same passion, the same deviousness…he could never _not_ be heartbreakingly beautiful.

"Why are you not afraid?" he all but whispered. "Why are you not running away in terror?"

"You're…still you," she answered truthfully. At that, his eyes widened and there was an expression on his face that Rose couldn't name. With exaggerated slowness, she reached out her hand to touch his chest. He violently flinched out of the way. It cut Rose to the quick. "Please," she begged quietly. "Don't try to hide from me."

He let out a raggedy breath, but did not pull away again. She reached forward again and placed her hand experimentally in the center of his chest. She was surprised to note that his skin temperature was several degrees chillier than hers, and for all the ridges and scales, the texture of his skin was still smooth. He trembled under her touch.

"I'm not hurting you, am I?" she asked anxiously.

He caught his lip between his teeth, but shook his head. "Your skin is so warm—it burns. In this form, everything is a thousand times more sensitive to me. I feel too much—every minute touch is excruciating."

She considered removing her hand from his skin, not wanting to cause him discomfort, but upon hearing no other resistance on his part, gently trailed her fingers down the planes of his chest, down his sternum to where the slight indentation of a belly button was peeking up over the top of his trousers.

"You're so beautiful," she breathed and watched as he inhaled sharply. She brought her hand up to touch his face. Her fingers roamed the length of his jaw and she noticed that he was gripping the windowsill behind him tightly with both hands. He really was beautiful in this form, for some reason. He was dark and mysterious, brooding and handsome. She stood on her tiptoes to hover over his mouth. She could feel his icy breath on her lips as he remained steadfastly unmoving. Gently, she pressed her lips to his.

All at once, she felt like she had swallowed a glass full of ice—his lips were freezing, and goose bumps erupted on her skin. His mouth moved painfully slow on hers, and it was clear that he was reluctant—either because he still doubted the sincerity of her actions, she wondered, or because he feels everything too powerfully? _Well, we will just have to remedy that, won't we._

Rose leaned deeper into the kiss and wound both hands into his hair, tugging his curls loose. He gasped into her mouth, and she felt the chill of his hands as they tentatively secured themselves on her waist. Her body was pressed flush against his until she felt every angle, every hard muscle. She moved her lips from his mouth and kissed his impossibly long neck. He was breathing unevenly and his body was shaking as he twisted his fingers into her hair, holding and keeping her tightly in position. "Rose…"

She smiled at the way he said her name as he was quickly coming undone. She was about to bring her mouth back to his when it appeared he had the same idea. He firmly pulled her head back up and hungrily possessed her lips. This time, she noticed, their temperature was more neutral—the heat of her own mouth had thawed out the ice of his. She was beginning to feel faint, and was quite glad that he was keeping a firm and domineering hold on her or else she might have collapsed.

It seemed that Loki was rather good at keeping her together, she noted with a sigh. His hold on her was strong, and she realized that she was just fine with that.


	16. Chapter 15

Rose made an effort to take a walk on the beach of Asgard in the days that followed. She walked along in contented solitude, breathing in the fresh early morning air. Today, Loki had asked her to join him for breakfast, and she was just about to head back when she saw it—perhaps a trick of the light. A hazy form seemed to appear in front of her, a blend of light and color that soon took the form of—no, it wasn't possible…Rose's mouth dropped open in shock.

"Hello, Rose," said the Doctor.

She stared and blinked and could not think of anything to say. How-how could he be here? "Is…is it really you?" she asked in barely a whisper.

His familiar brown eyes crinkled at her. "Of course it is! _Well_. Not all of me, at least. For now this is just a projection—I'm still on the TARDIS, hovering over a wormhole. I've been looking everywhere for you, but finally I picked up your wavelength here on this planet—"

Rose scarcely heard anything else he said. He was looking for her. The Doctor was looking for her.

"Well, what do you say?"

She shook herself when she heard his question. "Sorry, what was that?"

"I said, I will most likely be able to lock onto your location and be there for you soon, eh?"

She swallowed thickly and listened while her heart thudded out a strange rhythm. This was good, right? Her Doctor had found her—he was coming for her. "Yes. Yes, absolutely."

His image flickered. "Oooh, got to run. Just wanted to tell you that it won't be long, Rose, I'm coming for you." His deep brown eyes found hers once again before he faded.

She sank to her knees, feeling lightheaded and confused. Her eyes spilled tears that she did not know she had. He was looking for her…she should be relieved, right? Then why did her heart feel heavier, instead of lighter?

Loki was still waiting for her. Forcing herself upright, she trudged back to the palace for breakfast.

During the meal, Loki stared wordlessly at her from across the table. After the silence became almost too much, Rose asked almost desperately, "What is it?"

His face was passive as he answered. "You dreamed of him again."

On instinct, she decided to play dumb. "W-who?"

His cool eyes narrowed on her. "You know of whom I speak. The…_Doctor_." He sneered the word.

Almost as a delayed reaction, she heard his previous statement. "Wait—do you mean to tell me that you spied in my head while I was sleeping?!" She couldn't remember having any dreams of the Doctor. She was suddenly horrified at what Loki might have seen. "How dare you—what gave you the right?!"

"I was curious." He flashed her a snarky smile. "And I do what I want."

"…what did you see?" She could hardly bear to think. His smile faded.

"Nothing that you or I do not already know," his reply was soft, but his face remained devoid of emotion. Why was he so good at closing off in front of people? "Will you go to him?"

"How did you—" she shook her head. "Never mind." He was still waiting for an answer. "I-I don't know. I mean, he's come all this way to find me…I feel that I should at least talk to him."

She expected a fuss, or anger, or something. Anything. But he remained stone faced, blinking at her. "I do not suppose that you would care to remember that he lost you in the first place. Why should he deserve to have you back now?"

She stood up from the table with a start. "You don't know him! He didn't lose me, we got separated! He's been looking for me, Loki! This whole time he hasn't given up on me!"

"Rose…" he began softly. But she backed away from the table.

"I have to see him," she resolved, trying not to focus on the way his face crumbled ever so slightly. "I owe him that much."

She turned to leave, but not before she saw his shoulders sag, and his head lean down to rest defeated in his hand.


	17. Chapter 16

"What's that?" she asked Loki a short time after their breakfast discussion that one day. She pointed to what looked like a long, rainbow colored bridge heading to the outskirts of Asgard to a giant dome shaped building.

"It is the Bifrost—it stretches between Asgard and Midgard," he explained, and when he saw her confusion, clarified, "Midgard is what you call Earth. It is part of the Nine Realms."

"Can I see it?" she asked with a playful pout. "That bridge, I mean." He sighed deeply, but shot her a crooked smile.

"Of course."

Rose turned to where the stable of horses were, expecting Loki to saddle them up to go, but he touched her arm. "We won't need that," he said smoothly. "We will need to pass Heimdall, and I have my own special way of sneaking in."

She grinned at that. Of course he did.

Loki took hold of both of her hands, and bid her close her eyes. She did so, and felt a gentle breeze around her. "Open your eyes," he instructed. When she did, she was startled to realize that they had not only crossed the bridge, but were inside the spinning domed building on the other end.

"This is where the guard, Heimdall, can send anyone between worlds," Loki explained, seeming amused at her blatant astonishment. "I have shrouded us from him now, so we cannot be seen here."

She gazed in wonder at the silvery white tree in the center of the room, its branches flowing outward in every direction like a lightning strike. There was a breathtaking tunnel at the other side of the room. "Is that where…"

"Yes, that is where anyone can come or go between the worlds. As long as the Bifrost is engaged, transport is always possible between any of the Nine Realms."

Rose opened her mouth to ask something, but immediately forgot what it was when she heard the faint sound of an engine whirling. No—it can't be…There was no mechanics here, not in Asgard. That meant that this sound was coming from the tunnel between the worlds. She would know that sound anywhere.

It was the hum of the TARDIS.

Sure enough, as she watched in disbelief, the familiar blue police box appeared from nowhere and solidified in form inside the room. Before Rose had a chance to gather her scattered thoughts, the door swung open, and out stepped the Doctor.

All at once, Rose's chest clenched when she saw him. That mop of messy brown hair, those crinkly eyes always so full of merriment and childish wonder, that dashing pinstripe suit…he looked exactly the same. But then of course, he would. "Rose Tyler!" he exclaimed joyfully, immediately sweeping her up in a tight embrace. She smelled the spicy scent that was very him.

"I thought I would never see you again," she whispered into his shoulder, tears leaking from her eyes.

He held her tighter. "I'm sorry. I am so, so sorry. I will never let you go again," he promised. As she pulled back, he gazed deep into her eyes. "Come, on then—The Doctor and Rose Tyler in the TARDIS, just as it should always be."

Rose blinked up at him. "And be with you forever?" She remembered a time not too long ago when that was all she wanted in the world. _Will he say it this time? Will he?_

The Doctor smiled widely and sincerely at her. "Forever. I didn't get a chance to tell you before but—I love you, Rose. I always have."

After all this time, somehow she always knew. He had never said the words, but she had known it. So when he bent his head to kiss her, she made no move to pull away.

"What?!"

They broke apart instantly at the sound, and Rose's cheeks burned as she realized that she had completely forgotten that Loki was there. She turned and saw the horrified expression on his face, looking more vulnerable than she had ever seen him. He looked absolutely destroyed.

"You're going with him?" his normally smooth voice cracked. "Why?"

Rose couldn't find the words to explain what was going on—she wasn't sure even she knew. She whirled back around to the Doctor, hoping that perhaps he would step in on her behalf or something, but he was silent, keeping his eyes locked suspiciously on Loki. She took a deep breath. "Loki, please—it's…it's not like that, it's just—"

"Do you love him?" Loki stared at her, his mouth hanging open and his chest heaving. When she didn't answer, his eyes widened and she was startled that they were shining with tears. He screamed, "Tell me!"

Her heart stuttered when she saw his broken expression—he looked so young and fragile, like a lost child. "I-I suppose I do," she whispered, seeing out of the corner of her eye that the Doctor had also been awaiting her answer. "But," she added quickly, walking to where Loki was standing, "I do love you too." She reached for him but he recoiled from her touch.

"Do not touch me," he hissed. "So I suppose these last few months meant nothing to you, then. Was everything you told me a lie? I thought I was the liar of the two of us, _Rose_."

"No, of course it wasn't a lie!" she protested at the same time that the Doctor said, "Wait, what does he mean? What happened between you two?"

A shadow crossed over Loki's face, and a hateful spark lit in his eyes. "Tell him, Rose," he snarled menacingly under his breath. "Tell him what happened."

How did it come to this? Both men glaring at her, demanding her heart and what was worse was knowing that both had a viable claim to it.

Feeling helpless, she turned back to the Doctor. "I didn't think you would ever come back," she tried to explain. "I had no choice but to assume that I would never see you again."

The Doctor's eyes narrowed. "So you—and _him_—did you…" he trailed off accusatorially.

She dreaded his response when he heard the answer. "Yes," she breathed. Sure enough, he ran his hand violently through his hair and spun on the balls of his feet. Her head whirled back around to nervously meet Loki's gaze and saw that his face was wiped clean again, with only the wet trail of tears on his cheek to give him away.

"It is me or him, Rose," he warned. "You know how I refuse to share."

"But, I can always come back to visit you!" she suggested desperately. The thought of giving Loki up was far more painful than she had expected. She ran her hands over his chest, wishing at that moment that he would gather her in his arms the way he did before, so strong and warm—his cold skin warming under her touch…

His fingers wrapped around her wrists gently but firmly. "You cannot have both, but be warned. If you should choose him, I will make it so that you shall never see me again."

Her eyes widened. "You—you wouldn't…"

"Choose. NOW."

_What should I do? Who could I live without?_ She had been with the Doctor longer, but could she just pretend that what she had shared with Loki was not equally as meaningful? She tried for a different approach. Who could more easily live without _her_? She remembered what she had told her mother when she first met the Doctor_—"he can never be alone. Not ever."_

She inadvertently took a step backwards, her hands falling from Loki's chest. Any light that had been in his eyes extinguished immediately, and Rose could actually _see_ his heart breaking. "Loki—"

But he had taken the opportunity to move around the other side of the white tree. In the blink of an eye, he had summoned his curved scepter. His eyes flashed once at her, and then he thrust the scepter deep into the tree.

A sudden burst of light exploded from the tree, and Rose was instantly blinded by a swirl of color outside, followed by a deafening cracking sound. It wasn't until the initial blast of light died down that Rose saw what had happened. The Bifrost was exploding, cracking into disintegrating pieces with every passing second.

"What are you doing?!" the Doctor shouted at Loki, his eyes filled with horror. "Stop this!"

Rose was thrown off balance as the room shook from the blast. "Loki, stop!"

He strode out from behind the tree, leaving the scepter intact. "With the Bifrost destroyed, there can be no transport from one world to another," he reminded her, his face contorting into a snarl, fierce and animalistic. "If this is your choice, then know that you can never return." She thought she detected a slight tightening in his eyes, but couldn't be sure.

"You can't do this!" the Doctor shouted again. "We can work something out—you can come with us!"

"I can do whatever I want," Loki growled. "You cannot take from me the only thing I want and then expect that I would follow willingly! And you should not have expected that I would let her go easily." He was veritably trembling with hurt and rage. "It is within my power to destroy either your Doctor or your only way of returning. Make. Your. Choice."

The Doctor was shaking in fury as he glowered at Loki and looked to Rose to make her decision. In that one impossible second, Rose saw flashes of two different lives—her lives with them. She saw herself in the TARDIS, travelling endlessly with her Doctor, keeping him company and seeing new worlds…

But then there was Loki—who had loved her with a dark passion that she had never known before, who was so full of mischief and fun, but struggled with the shadow of who and what he truly was. But he had his brother…

Her voice was barely above a whisper as she gave her answer. "I'm going to go." She stepped backwards, her back against the TARDIS door. _Please, just take me away before I change my mind._

Loki's glare faded and he simply stared at her blankly. "As you wish."

More of the dome was crashing in around them, and the Doctor grabbed her arm insistently as he pushed open the TARDIS door. "I'm sorry!" she cried to Loki, as she was pulled inside the police box. "I'm sorry!"

She collapsed inside, her forehead pressed against the door. She only vaguely heard the Doctor behind her, pulling levers to get them moving. As the hum of the engine roared in her ears, she pulled herself up to look out the window in time to see what was left of the Bifrost crumble, taking the entire golden domed building with it. Her heart slammed to a stop in her chest. _He got out, didn't he? He wouldn't have just stayed in there while everything was collapsing, right? He used his magic to get out of there—right?_

Hysterical sobs ripped through her chest. _Loki, Loki, Loki_…his name played like a mantra inside her head, and she didn't realize she was hoarsely screaming for him until she felt a pair of arms wind their way around her body, holding her as she cried.

The last thing she caught a glimpse of through a river of tears before the TARDIS disappeared was a flash of green falling into the abyss below.


End file.
